


This or That?

by glittermilk



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Abusive Relationships, BDSM, Blow Jobs, Choking, Dom/sub, Drug Use, Dubious Consent, Lingerie, M/M, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Sex Toys, Sexting, Shibari, Spanking, Verbal Humiliation, Violence, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-12-08 18:53:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11652621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glittermilk/pseuds/glittermilk
Summary: When the newest dad in town starts to get closer to Robert, he faces some unexpected obstacles.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this started out as a humble sexting fic and became this whole mess lol
> 
> please enjoy :)

I wake up with the overwhelming urge to vomit, and so the first thing I'm doing Saturday morning is sprinting to the bathroom as fast as my tired dad legs can possibly carry me. As I puke my guts up into the toilet I wonder how long it's been since I was this hungover. College, probably- I'd definitely done more than my fair share of drinking with Craig back in the day and eventually I'd realised that getting that drunk was never really much fun. But that was before I'd met Robert.

I had to admit, the man was intimidating at first. He exuded a confidence that I so clearly lacked and nothing seemed to move him; even when I turned him down that very first night he didn't falter. It made me wonder how he'd grown so callous, so seemingly impervious to any outside force. Now another, darker part of me considers something else; what would have happened if I hadn't said 'no' that night? The taste of bile kind of puts me off of lingering on that concept for too long, so I just spit into the toilet water, flush the chain and get up to brush my teeth. 

I should have learned my lesson by now, but this time the message had definitely sunk in: do not, under any circumstances, try to keep up with Robert Small when he's drinking. The guy was an absolute monster when it came to the consumption of alcohol, to the point where it was actually bordering on unnatural. He could knock back shots like they were water and he got through glasses of whiskey like it was his last night on Earth and whenever I watched him lick his lips and smirk at me I'd be coaxed into following along. Unfortunately, whilst Robert somehow seemed to possess the liver of a 20 year old I certainly do not, and if we ever bumped into each other the day after drinking I would be a weak, sun-fearing mess and for him it would be like nothing ever happened. Robert would shove his hands in his pockets, look me up and down and chuckle, and suddenly I wouldn't feel quite as ill any more.

Now that I've thrown up I feel a lot better, though I'm still suffering from a pounding headache, so I creep out of the bathroom and back towards the warmth of my bed. For a second I pause outside of Amanda's bedroom, glancing inside at the perfectly made bed and the floor that's entirely clear of clothes and cut up magazines for the first time since we moved here. It all just looks a little too tidy and I'm hit by a few different emotions all at once. Of course I'm overwhelmingly proud of her and I make sure to remind her of that almost every day. But now my house is almost always empty and when I get home late the lights are never on. I'm starting to realise why Robert spends all of his time at the bar.

Once I'm back to my room I slip under the covers, treating myself to a little comfort for a few more minutes...or hours. Before I can fully relax, though, some aspirin is definitely in order. I reach over to my bedside table, where a bottle of pills is still sat where I left it a few mornings ago. Was I becoming a little too reckless without Amanda around? Maybe, but right now it was all I could do to keep my head above water. 

As I dry-swallow a couple of capsules I check my phone that's been left to charge overnight, expecting- or maybe hoping for- a text from Amanda. As the screen lights up there's definitely a notification but not from my daughter. Instead, the name 'Joseph' sits above a short little message. 

_Hi neighbor! How was your night on the town with Robert yesterday?_

More than anything I find myself baffled and I unlock my phone just to make sure that I haven't missed anything. It's not odd to get texts from Joseph- everyone does. He has a way of keeping in touch with everyone even when he's busy, hitting a perfect balance where he's not too overbearing but his attempts don't seem forced either. It's just that this new message seems a little...personal? I scroll up to our previous conversation to make sure I'm not just imagining things. Last weekend the minister sent a text thanking me for coming to his barbecue, and complimenting my baking skills. I remember the apple pie he's making reference to- I'd turned on an episode of Kitchen Smackdown and got way too into it when one of the competitors got caught in a headlock for twenty minutes and still managed to produce a flawless Crème brûlée. By the time the smell of burning had hit my nose it was far too late to save the poor, neglected dessert and without spare ingredients I'd had no choice but to present my blackened contribution to Joseph with my head hung in shame. Still he'd smiled as always and said something about how it was the thought that counted, even going as far as to cut himself a slice and try it just so my efforts didn't go completely to waste. He was a really, really nice guy and part of me wonders now if I should be spending my time with him rather the corrupting influence that is Robert. The truth is that the latter man is just a lot more fun.

I flick back down to the new message again, the time-stamp catching my eye this time. Joseph sent this at 4am? That only made things more mysterious. Perhaps he'd been up all night caring for Crish and had decided to message one of his neighbors out of boredom but then did he really expect me to be up at that time? Besides, that still didn't explain why he was asking about an event he wasn't even involved in. How did he even _know_ Robert and I had spent time together? Had Mary mentioned something to him? I play with the idea of putting any number of these questions to Joseph in my response, but I don't want to sound too defensive so I keep things simple.

**Oh, hi Joseph! It was pretty fun, actually! Tiring though, you know how Robert is! :)**

_Did_ he though? Now that I think about it I've never really heard either of them mention the other, and barely seen them acknowledge each other's existence, but Robert is always present whenever the minister holds gatherings at his house. I try to leave it at that, and put my phone down until I get a response, but curiosity is digging away at my insides and I have to send off a little addition alongside my first text.

**Why do you ask?**

I wait for a moment, expecting a quick response, but then I remember that its Saturday morning and Joseph is probably busy baking or spending time with his family so I eventually return my phone to my bedside. Telling myself I'm just going to rest my eyes for a few more moments, I pull the covers over my shoulder, rolling onto my side and almost immediately falling back to sleep. 

\--

When my eyes eventually flicker open again I actually feel a lot better but I'm also _starving_. It's lucky I don't have any obligations for now because I've definitely slept in until after midday, and I _really_ don't feel like getting out of my pajamas. Instead I just put on some socks so my feet don't get too cold and wander into the kitchen. Now is the time for disgusting greasy food that will probably reduce my lifespan by a few years. I look through my cupboards and my fridge to size up my options: I have a lot of cheese, a lot of bacon and a lot of bread. My stomach growls and suddenly I know what I must do. After oiling up a pan and leaving it to heat up I start butter up some bread then throw it down to cook, the rest of the ingredients following shortly after. This is it. This is my masterpiece. When I am long passed from this mortal plane this sandwich is the only thing I will be remembered for. I lean up against the counter whilst I wait for my legacy to form, the cheese sizzling away and creating a scent that drives my nutrition-starved brain wild. After a few minutes though my mind starts to wander, and it occurs to me that maybe Joseph has replied to my text by now so I go back into my bedroom to grab my phone. 

Sure enough, when I light up the screen there's a new message:

_Ha ha, I sure do! Sorry though, I didn't mean to pry! Robert has been talking about you a lot recently and I was just curious about what you two get up to. It sounds like fun!_

Well, that made things a lot more interesting.

I find the concept of Joseph and Robert spending time together a difficult one to wrap my head around. The two have practically nothing in common- one is heaven and the other is hell. Joseph is definitely an understanding minister but I wonder how far his patience is stretched around someone who is almost constantly displaying at least one of the seven deadly sins. More importantly, though, the two have been talking about _me_? I feel my face redden at the thought of Robert- a man whose hobbies include hunting for monsters, for God's sake- finding someone like me interesting enough to mention at length. At the very least it's incredibly flattering and maybe even a little bit-- _oh shit my child!!_

Amanda is fine, but unfortunately I cannot say the same about my poor grilled cheese. I'd practically sprinted to the kitchen but it's too late- my pathetic attention span has taken another innocent, delicious life. First the apple pie and now this? The world is a cruel, cruel place. I turn off the cooker and lift the underside of the sandwich with a fork to inspect the damage, and melted cheese spills out of the blackened bread and hisses at me like a feral creature that no longer recognises me as it's father. In what is definitely divine punishment for my hubris I am forced to tip the burned mess into the bin and start from scratch. I can only be thankful that this time I have enough food to make a second attempt at this cooking thing and this time I make sure not to take my eyes off of the process until the bread is golden brown. After about five minutes I toss my creation onto a plate, relieved and humbled as I cut it in half and it's _perfect_. But at what cost?

Silently mourning for my fallen comrade as the smell of cheesy death still lingers in the air, I grab a glass of orange juice and take my breakfast over to the couch so I can catch up on Extreme Cross Stitching and watch middle-aged cat women threaten each other with needles whilst I pig out. The first bite into bread induces a rather scandalous groan from me and for once I'm thankful to be home alone because the taste of this grilled cheese is a completely sexual experience. I gobble the rest down like the monster I am and then sit back into loving embrace of the couch, completely satisfied. On TV Angela is panicking because she can't find her magnifier and I start to get bored because it's so obvious that Karen- the jealous old granny- has stolen it. She pulls something like this every episode and in a moment of clarity I realise that the fact that I'm watching this at all is completely shameful.

I pull out my phone, deciding to conquer the overwhelming task of replying to Joseph's last text. I probably have even more questions than before but there are so few that I can actually ask without overstepping the boundaries of friendly politeness. Shit, this was so much easier when Amanda was here. Not particularly in the mood for confession, especially not after the ungodly thing I've just consumed, I decide to go for something joking instead.

**It's fine, you're not prying! You probably don't want to know, though. Our nights out aren't exactly bible study.**

This time, surprisingly, I get a response immediately.

_Oh my! Well it's okay, your dark secret is safe with me! (And The Lord!!)_

OH GOD NO THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LESSER SIN OF DRINKING YOURSELF TO DEATH NOT ONE OF THE BIG ONES.

That's what I want to reply but my hands are locked in place out of pure horror. I am definitely not the funny dad and yet I tried to be the funny dad and now the local youth minister is probably praying for my soul. Whilst I begin to form a recovery text that definitely won't be as clever as I need it to be I notice Joseph is typing again, and then I get another message.

_Ha ha but seriously, can I ask you something real quick?_

Oh, he was kidding? He was playing along with the joke that I started in the first place because that's how jokes work? The sense of relief that washes over me is as satisfying as it is unnecessary. I fumble over the virtual keys of my phone for a second and squeeze out another reply.

**Ha ha, sure ha ha!**

Nothing like the double 'ha ha' to convey an awkwardness and guilt that should have been safely disguised over text.

_Pink or White?_

I realise that I know this game, and the conversation returns to more comfortable territory. Privately I call what Joseph is doing 'This or That' and it's one of his favourite tactics when he wants to have a bit of fun without needing me to be there in person. The game would always start with some arbitrary choice: Strawberry or Chocolate? Pigtails or plaits? Jimmy Buffet or Jimmy Buffet? After I answered a varying amount of time would pass and then I'd be sent a picture of a flawlessly iced cake, a peeved but well-dressed Christie or a selfie of Joseph in the Margarita Zone, respectively. Quite honestly I didn't really have as much investment in Joseph's personal life as he probably thought I did but This or That was a harmless enough way to spend a few minutes, so I always played along. I smile to myself as I decide on my answer for this round, knowing that my choice will make little difference in the long run either way.

**White!**

_Oh, good choice!_

As I wait for Joseph to show me the result of my selection I flick through a few channels on TV, abandoning a sobbing Angela to see what show will probably end up occupying the the rest of my day. I skip over Kids Vs Zookeepers (the kids always win) and some weird show I don't know the name of but two clowns are yelling at each other with a glass of champagne in each of their hands, until finally I find the show for me. Ah, Dog Medium, MD. Now _this_ is a puppy that can not only get me through the tail end of my hangover but also tell me that my goldfish- who died when I was 10- really wants me give the good doctor a belly rub. If only I could, little guy. If only I could. For a while I'm fairly enraptured at the sight of the golden retriever in it's cute little medical costume but then my phone notifies me that Joseph has messaged me back. 

When I unlock my phone the photo he's sent appears automatically and now I'm staring at what seems to be a screenshot from an online lingerie store. On the left is an image of a woman in a matching set of white lace underwear complete with a garter and suspenders and on the right is a listing of various measurements and product information. Then I spot the price and I almost choke on air at how ridiculously expensive this small amount of fabric is. Most importantly of all though, isn't this...weird? I feel like if Joseph is showing it to me then I'm probably wrong but he's clearly buying this for Mary and now I feel like I know a little more than I'd like to about his private life. Still, I can't _not_ reply, so I force out something vague and generic so the minister doesn't realise that I'm a little uncomfortable.

**Oh yeah, I guess it was!**

I spend the rest of the day watching reruns of old episodes of Dog Medium MD, never quite able to get the thought of Joseph's weird text out of my head. The fact that he still hasn't given any explanation- or any response at all for that matter- only makes things even more unsettling but then it's not like I've never overthought something like this before. I'm probably just being uptight. Satisfied with that conclusion at least enough to stop obsessing over the matter, I order chinese and enjoy the rest of my night in.

\--

When I wake up the next day I feel like a new man, and there's another text from Joseph on my phone. I don't check it right away because I really want a shower and maybe I'm just the slightest bit nervous. Once I'm clean and dressed though I open it up, surprised to find that this time I have *a lot* more than one little message.

_Hi neighbor! I was just worried that maybe I was being a bit too nosy before, so I figured I'd let you be nosy too!_

After that came several pictures- the first being of Robert sitting on his couch with a glass of wine, clearly a little tipsy. He knows the camera's there though because he's making a face and pulling some obscure gang sign with his free hand and I actually chuckle at the sight of him. So the two of them really did hang out? I can hardly imagine what they get up to. I scroll down to the next image and Robert's flipping the bird and the camera's too close to his face. These candid shots are quite unlike the usual flawlessly composed, near-professional images that I see from Joseph which adds an extra level of charm to the ones I'm looking at now. I can practically hear the minister chuckling from behind the camera and it's so cute- maybe a little too cute. Whenever I'm with Robert I'm too busy trying to be cool to mess with him like Joseph seems to be doing here, and I wonder if he'd like likes me more or less for it. Whatever, next photo.

Time seems to have passed since the last one because now Robert's out on his balcony, leaning against the ceramic like the roguish, devil-may-care guy that he is. He has a cigarette in his mouth and his arms are folded across his chest and I remind myself to compliment Joseph's photography skills later on because _fuck_ he looks hot in this shot. It's not that there's anything different about him, it's just the way the the wind is caught in his hair and his eyes are cast off into the distance and the cigarette is hanging off of his-- oh. That isn't tobacco, is it?

I find myself laughing again because oh my God, Robert is smoking weed in front of his pastor. And if before I was chuckling then now I'm choking as I see the last shot. Holy shit.

This final photo is a selfie of them both, the front camera pointed just above their heads and casting a wonderful view of the forest behind them. Now though, impossibly, _Joseph_ has his lips around the joint, a little smoke leaking out of the corner of his mouth as he squinted - or maybe winked- at the camera. At me. He has a hand on Robert's shoulder and Robert is...staring at Joseph's mouth. Or am I just imagining things? Either way, a tiny detail like that is completely overshadowed by what Joseph's smoking in this shot. 

**Hi! Loved the photos! But that last one's a bit incriminating, isn't it? Ha ha!**

I send off my reply and then move on with the rest of my day. I can't really justify being as lazy as I was yesterday so I go out to grab a coffee with Mat. I decide not to mention what I saw on my phone earlier today, because despite the fact that Joseph is seemingly comfortable with his lifestyle choices it still feels like I'd be gossiping if I told anyone. So instead we talk about the new mixtape he made for me and as always I try to sound more knowledgeable about music than I actually am. I think Mat can tell I'm bluffing but I suppose he's just glad to talk to someone he feels comfortable around. It's when I'm being explained to the difference between drone folk and freak folk when my phone buzzes at me.

"Who is it, dude?" Mat asks me, noticing the message drawing my attention. 

"Oh, it's just Joseph."

I try to draw my eyes off of the screen and focus on my friend but the message I just saw is rattling around in my head.

_We were just enjoying another one of God's perfect creations! But if you want incriminating, check this out!_

I don't want to be rude and unlock my phone now but Joseph has definitely got my attention with that cliffhanger. I can't see what it is he actually sent me but I can sense the workings of a good joke and I'm ready for the punchline. For now though I slip my mobile back into my pocket and finish my coffee.

A good few hours pass before I finally excuse myself from Mat's company and move on with the rest of the day. On the way to the grocery store I bump into Brain walking his dog and I end up making a long detour so we can chat. In the end he invites me over for dinner so once I've done my shopping and changed into something slightly less casual back at home, I head down the road. 

Brian never really antagonises me now that Amanda's gone. I think in a way he feels sorry for me, but there's always the possibility that there's a smugness to his silence. But no, I'm definitely just being competitive again. As soon as I realise that, I can let myself have fun for the evening. A couple of beers and summer barbecue are a welcome alternative to the benders I've been on recently with Robert. Getting home before midnight is a nice change too and I decide that after one episode of Ghost Lawyers and the slice of key lime pie I took home with me, I'll get some sleep.

It's with a fork in my mouth and my hand on the remote that my phone vibrates and I'm reminded of the incident in the coffee shop earlier. Now that I'm alone I have no reason to delay my conversation with Joseph and so I set down my plate and look at what it is he's sent me. The newest message I've just received simply says:

_Did you listen to it yet?_

Above that there appears to be some kind of audio clip. It's not the cute, lighthearted twist I was expecting from him but I'm definitely intrigued.

**Just got home! I will now!**

I press the play button on my screen and a whir of white noise starts to emanate from my mobile. I wonder if maybe the recording is a little quiet so I turn the volume up and put it to my ear. Then suddenly I hear a low, satisfied growl that's drawn out over a couple of seconds before it finally dies down. I hear someone whisper out a swear and I know that voice- it's Robert. My stomach is suddenly tying itself in knots because I can hear him breathing like he's right here next to me and he's definitely not doing it slowly either. For what feels like minutes but is probably more like ten seconds that's all that I can hear, and then suddenly he lets out a moan that's so much louder than the rest of the audio that it actually makes me jump a little. I only worry for a moment that this is the sound of him in intense pain but I know deep down that isn't the case. The sound was too soft and it was punctuated with an almost inaudible 'fuck yeah' and now my head is spinning and I feel a little sick because *what the fuck is this?* I thought Joseph was joking but this, whatever it is, (because I'm not willing to accept the obvious) is definitely more incriminating than weed. I know I should stop the recording and then decide what to do from there but I have too much of a morbid curiosity to not listen to the rest. When I hear the first tell-tale slap of skin hitting skin I seriously reconsider my decision because then there's another smack and then another, and suddenly the sound is forming it's own rhythm that synchronises with Robert's gasping. 

"Say my name, Robert."

It takes me a little longer to recognise this second voice as Joseph's because it's not the sound of the minister I know. His voice is still as soft as always but in this clip it's silky and icy and enticing in a way I didn't know was possible, especially not for him. Most importantly there's a sheer power behind his tone, the kind that means he doesn't need to raise his voice to display it. I don't blame Robert when he obeys and groans the other man's name, because the tiniest part of me is somehow tempted to do the same. Robert's whines start to become more urgent and for a second it sounds like he's trying to muffle the noise into a pillow or some fabric but then he's loud and uninhibited again and just when I think he can't get any more desperate--

The audio cuts off suddenly, and I'm left with a red face and a half-boner. For a while I sit in silence, absolutely stunned. Then, not knowing what else to do, I leave Joseph's last message unanswered and retreat to my bedroom.

Of course I don't sleep very well. It's strange but somehow the only thing I'm feeling right now is humiliation. I feel stupid for thinking I could get close to someone like Robert without coming across something like this, for thinking that his life is only as complicated as the issues he's comfortable sharing with me. Joseph, on the other hand, is the last person I thought would ever get caught up in a scandal. Should I be blamed for taking that man at face value, too? For believing that people as perfect as he pretends to be actually exist? Of course the minister would have flaws- everyone does- but what he did to me today wasn't just a lapse in judgement or a bad habit. He must have known that a clip like that would have made me extremely uncomfortable at the very least and now I'm certain he's built up to that moment from the very first text he'd sent me asking about Robert. I don't like to throw the word 'evil' around, especially not about a man of God, but I can think of nothing else. As if reading my mind, my phone lights up and my blood runs cold. I know I shouldn't look, that I'll regret it, but I can't sleep either way and I'd rather not have the worry of an unread message clawing away at the inside of my brain. I slip one of my hands from beneath the covers, reaching for my mobile and bringing it within reading distance. The name above the message isn't Joseph, but I'm still left as anxious as if it was.

_SHOTS_

_SHOTS_

_SHOTS_

I scroll down through about thirteen of the same message before I reach one that's different. It's Robert.

_oh no_

_it happened, didn't it_

_oh my god_

_im so sorry_

_you..._

_you got old_

_and boring_

_i will mourn your coolness with a nice glass of bourbon_

I let out a shudder of a sigh because for a second there I thought those messages were going in a different direction. I realise how incredibly on edge I am and I could probably use a drink. Or three. It's just...will I be able to face Robert after hearing that clip? Does he even know that Joseph sent it to me? I'm not sure if that would make things better or worse but I'm determined to push past the awkwardness for the sake of my friend.

**You haven't defeated me yet, Robert!**

**I can totally take another night of alcoholism.**

**I'm cool.**

_whatever you say, pops ;)_

_see you soon_

I crawl out of bed, my legs a little wobbly with nerves, throw my day clothes back on and head to the bar. The walk over there feels a lot longer than usual, and when I see the the words 'Jim and Kim's' lit up on the horizon my stomach is doing back-flips. I don't want any more nasty surprises tonight. I just want to drink a little bit. 

Finally at the bar, I head inside towards our usual table. Robert is already sitting there, leaning on the back legs of his chair with a half-full glass in hand and when he finally sees me he gives me a little salute with a couple of fingers. 

"Howdy, stranger." He smirks perfectly, and I realise instantly that unless Robert is the world's greatest actor then he doesn't know about the things Joseph has sent me. Whilst in a way that's still mortifying, it at least makes the whole issue easier to ignore for now and I try to push it to the back of my mind. I sit down stiffly, and Robert scoffs, reminding me that I'm definitely not much of a thespian myself. 

"I thought you'd be used to me dragging you out of bed by now." He remarks, putting the glass to his curved lips.

"I am." I snip back, matching his facetiousness. "I'm just still recovering from Friday."

"Awh, you poor baby."

Robert stands up and knocks back his drink just so he can justify getting himself another.

"Well let me get the first round in- consider it an apology for ruining your weekend." He points at me. "Juice?"

"I'm sure I can handle one of whatever you're getting."

No. Wrong answer. Earlier events aside, I really don't want to get that smashed again tonight. I should be sipping on a beer and making it last hours, not playing keep-up with a literal alcoholic. There's just something about the way he looks at me, something daring, that makes words come out of my mouth before I've even thought about them. 

"Your funeral." The man chuckles, looking secretly pleased. Then he heads over to the bar and is that a limp? It's subtle enough that it's probably just anxiety-fueled paranoia but it doesn't change the fact that without even being here, Joseph has already ruined my night. 

Thirty minutes later and we're sipping on our whiskies as Robert makes mean, quiet comments about everyone that comes in and out of the bar. His comments have us snickering like schoolchildren. 

"Uh oh," Robert nudges me at one point, nodding in the direction of a lanky stranger in a dress shirt that's too big and who has horribly slicked back hair. "Looks like you're gonna have some competition for the 'Biggest Nerd' award tonight."

I choke and laugh at the same time, giving the other man an amicable- but still fairly strong- punch on the arm. "Hey, no friendly fire!"

That comment has him chuckling again too and he rubs the spot where I hit him with the hand not clutching his drink. "Ow. Point taken."

Smiling, I shoot him a look and drink. I can still see him watching me out of the corner of my eye though, so after a moment I put down my whiskey and confront him.

"What?"

"You pack quite a punch, you know."

I kiss both sets of knuckles in a joking display of bravado. "They don't call me Thunderfists for nothing."

"Is that your porn actor name?"

"What kind of porn are you watching?"

"If you're not in it, clearly the wrong kind."

"...Wow, not one of your most elegant pick-up lines, huh?" 

Despite my complaints, Robert's flirting seems to have had the intended effect anyway because now I'm visibly blushing. I wonder if I would still as flustered by this before hearing the audio clip because suddenly I'm looking at his face and wondering how sounds like _that_ could come out of a guy like _this_. He raises an eyebrow at me, probably because he noticed my cheeks reddening, but he looks more pleased than anything.

"I guess it didn't have to be. That whiskey going to your head, pal?"

He leans in a little and I swear my heart just stops. I should be used to this- Robert likes to hit on anything that moves and half the time it's just to see what happens. Joseph has probably forever ruined my tolerance for this habit now, though, because I can't help but take it a little more personally this time around. 

I open my mouth to say something that'll probably be stupid but then there's a buzz and I almost have a heart attack. Please, no. Not now. I start to hurriedly pat my jeans because the notifications are coming through non-stop and someone is definitely trying to grab my attention. 

"Relax, it's mine." Robert says, reaching into his jacket as I lean back in my chair and take a long, relieved gulp of alcohol. I watch him open and then stare at his phone, thumbing through all the messages as his brow furrows just the slightest bit. Then he hides his mobile away and finishes off his drink, already starting to stand up to get another.

"Ready for round two?"

His words are just slightly more rushed than normal, like we're trying to get one last drink in before the bar closes though it's not even midnight yet. 

"No, I uh, I'm still confronting the first one. Thanks, though."

He doesn't even reply, he just nods and rushes off, pulling out his phone again when he assumes I've stopped looking and furiously texting. I try not to think about the conversation that's taking place in his messages right now, crunching on an ice cube to relieve the sudden tension in my jaw. When my drinking partner returns with another whiskey for us both (despite my protests) I force out a smile and he doesn't even seem to notice the insincerity. 

"Who was that?" I ask, sounding a little bit too much like a jealous lover.

"Never you mind." Is the reply I get, and though I know Robert's joking he sounds distant so the effect is lost a little bit. He runs circles with his thumb over his tattoo- the one he refuses to talk about- and I finish my drink.

"Was it Joseph?"

I have no idea why I just said that. Robert's eyes shoot up at me, wide and unblinking, and it's probably the most emotion I've ever seen the guy display. His lips part slightly but he remains silent, and I realise he's waiting for me to give an explanation for the horrible question I've just let slip. Maybe the whiskey is going to my head after all. 

"He sent me some photos of you two hanging out, I figured maybe he was checking up on you." 

I thought that telling the truth would ease the tension but now it's ten times worse. Robert's knuckles whiten around his drink and I worry for a second that he's going to break the glass. I need to be more clever than this.

"Robert, come on, it was just weed. And it's not like I'm gonna snitch."

I even manage an impetuous grin and you can practically see the tension ease from the other man's shoulders. He huffs out a laugh and he probably feels a lot more relieved than I do right now but I don't mind that. It's probably best that I keep to myself the fact that the drugs were the least of my concerns today.

"If you say so," Robert recovers in an instant but he's definitely drinking more deeply than before. "But I have my eye on you, narc."

"Isn't it legal here?"

"That sounds exactly like something a narc would say."

I make myself laugh and then he's back to texting. It's hard not to feel like a third wheel when Robert starts talking again but doesn't even look up to meet my gaze.

"So listen, I'm gonna go easy on you tonight and head off."

"Huh?" I'm admittedly a little hurt. "But I just got here!"

I know it's too late to change his mind because he's already standing up again. We look at each other for a moment and his sad, dark eyes look full of regret. 

"What can I say, I have a busy schedule. You know how it is: crimes to commit and people to charm with my ruggedly good looks."

"Then you're already half way there." I breathe, as though hitting on him will convince him to stay. "Let's go steal a car."

Robert's expression lights up for a second as he pats me on the shoulder affectionately.

"See you around, kid."

A few hours later and my head is pressed against the cool ceramic of the bar. I didn't really have the heart to go home so soon after getting here so I'd bought myself another drink and had gotten progressively more drunk from there. About thirty minutes after Robert left my company I'd received another text from Joseph that I'm currently looking at again, holding my phone at an angle so I can read it.

"Thanks for warming Robert up for me!"

Afterwards he'd sent a photo of Robert's back as he walked through Joseph's front door and he's wearing the same clothes I'd just seen him in so I know these shots are being shown to me just moments after they're being taken. The next photo I have was delivered to me a good twenty minutes after the last one, and it's a close up of Robert's face. Joseph's hand is cupping his jaw, his thumb slipped under the other man's upper lip and coated in a very incriminating white powder. Like the next frame in a video, there's an almost identical image that arrived immediately after the last but this time Robert's eyes are closed and his tongue is barely touching the digit in his mouth. In the last photo he's kissing Joseph's thumb, his glance aimed above the camera and probably fixed on the one holding it. His eyes are even darker than normal where his pupils have been blown out of proportion, which leads me to believe that he's probably already taken a hit or two before this one. He's smiling in this picture too, the corners of his mouth just barely curled up but still forming two little dimples on each cheek. He looks happy, but it's hard to say if that's just as a result of the coke.

It was seeing those three pictures for the first time that had caused me to start drinking excessively, and now I'm slumped forward in a bar stool and the owner is trying to shoo me out of the building because I'm the last one there. Eventually I sit up and wipe saliva off of my cheek, mumbling something incoherent at the antagonistic worker before struggling to get to my feet. I stumble out onto the street with my phone in my hand and the air is cold. In a moment of blind drunkenness I type the words 'fuck you' into my mobile and send them to Joseph. I don't get a response for the rest of the night- he's too busy.

\--

On Monday morning I'm holding back the urge to puke purely because I refuse to accept that I have a hangover from drinking alone. It's a fitting way to start the horrible week I have. It turns out I'd contracted some kind of horrible flu from walking home on Sunday night which keeps me indoors almost permanently. Though a few of the guys visit and try to keep me company I understand they all have busy lives, which is why for the most part I'm stuck with myself and technology. With Joseph's photos. 

They come in every night now- or morning, technically- to the point where it's almost becoming routine. I tell myself every time that I won't look but seeing what Joseph has sent me is almost like an addiction. It's even gotten to the point where I can mentally sort each photos into three different categories, as though being pragmatic about this whole ordeal will help me cope. The first type of shots are the completely harmless ones: Robert sitting on a bed and smoking, a portrait of him smiling or even just a jacket he left at Joseph's house. I theorise that these exist purely to prove that Robert has been spending time with him, almost as though he's bragging. Still, they're the least unpleasant to receive and I even have the capacity to find a few of them sweet just because Robert looks so happy when they're together. I wonder if he really is.

The second type of photos that Joseph sends me are the most common. They're always blurry, off center or otherwise taken in a way that means the subject of the image isn't always clear. I get the impression that these ones are taken hastily or discreetly or both, unless Joseph is enough of a genius photographer that he can replicate that effect manually. Some are harder to make out than others, but with this category the subject matter is always a lot more scandalous. In one it looks like Joseph tried to take a photo of them kissing but their faces are off frame so you can only see them from the mouth downwards. It looks like they're trying to show as much of the kiss as possible to the camera because their lips are parted and tongues are pressed greedily together. Joseph's free hand is on Robert's throat. It's messy. Another is the image of an expanse of skin that's been marked with a red-purple splotch. I've also received a picture before of Robert's face with his mouth wide open and some kind of liquid dripping from his tongue down to his chin, but the camera's out of focus and I can't bring myself to make any assumptions as to what it is.

Today is Sunday and the third type of photo that Joseph sends me I only began receiving on Friday night. Unlike its predecessors these ones are neither innocent nor poorly taken; they're intentional and calculated and they never fail to make my skin prickle. I'm looking at one of those ones now. It's a shot of a mirror that Joseph seems to have in his bedroom that extends from the floor and almost to the ceiling, though its height mostly just compensates for its thin width. Joseph is standing there, his chest bare and phone in hand. He has a pale but well developed torso and I can't help but wonder how many people know that Joseph is this well built. Robert is on his knees at the other man's feet, one hand on the minister's back and the other encroaching on dangerous territory at his inner thigh. He's kissing at Joseph's stomach, just below his bellybutton where his waistband is sitting low on his hips. Whenever I look at this picture- which is more than I'd like to admit- I always wonder if he's kissing up or down. Joseph has a hand in Robert's hair, like he's petting a dog, but is too busy lining up this perfect shot to even look down at him. The other man doesn't even seem to care.

I feel like I should be disgusted looking at something like this but every tiny detail about it is so enticing that my body always reacts positively instead. If it wasn't for the fact that I've been ill all week I probably wouldn't have been able to resist touching myself. Suddenly I'm grateful for whatever virus has fucked up my insides because I can only imagine how much shame I'd feel afterwards if I ever let my lusts get the better of me. Instead I've just been driving myself crazy trying to decide what to do about this whole mess. I've typed out entire essays to Joseph before, only to delete it all because quite frankly I'm a little frightened of him at this point and I don't want to make things worse. But it's been a week since I last spoke to Robert now too and he hasn't replied to any of my texts and I miss him. I feel better today- stronger. I'm going to confront Joseph.

**Why are you doing this to me, Joseph?**

I send the text and he replies within about twenty minutes. 

_Oh dear, you still don't know?_

_Proverbs 6:30-31_

_Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry;_

_But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house._

**What?**

Admittedly, Joseph quoting bible verses at me isn't doing much to alleviate my anxiety. 

_Goodness! Didn't your parents ever teach you not to use other people's things without the owner's permission? I can forgive you for all your mistakes, you didn't know he was my property, after all. But please do not speak to Robert again unless I say that you can!_

**What the fuck is wrong with you?**

I'm getting too angry and I'm losing control of what I'm typing but the things Joseph is implying are horrifying and I just want to somehow verbally smack some sense into him. 

**Robert's a fucking person!**

_And a broken one, too. Do you think we did any of those things without his consent? You heard him yourself- he loves every moment of our time together. He even knows that I'm sending you the photos now. We have an arrangement._

**And what's that?!**

_Robert leads a difficult, complex life. I simply control every aspect of it so that he doesn't have to worry. That's why I need you to wait until I say it's okay before contacting him again!_

This whole thing is so much more fucked up than I could ever have imagined. Part of me just wants to accept that I'm in way over my head with these two and leave them both to it. I am definitely too old to be intervening in...whatever this is and there are plenty of normal dads left in the neighborhood for me to bond with. But I'm stubborn and Robert is too much fun to hang out with and I'm not about to let anyone tell me who I can and can't talk to. I close my conversation with Joseph and open Robert's. The last message I have from him is the last one he sent me last Sunday, a week ago: 

_see you soon_

I know it's going to take a lot to get him to respond so I have no choice but to swallow my nerves and admit to everything. 

**Robert, I need to talk to you.**

**Joseph told me everything about you and him.**

**I don't care about any of it.**

A lie. 

**I just want you to explain this whole thing.**

**I don't trust him but I trust you.**

**If you don't want to talk to me after this then I swear I'll leave you alone forever but...**

**I'd really like one last drink first :)**

I lean back on my couch, inexplicably exhausted. This is probably the first time I've actually been emotionally open with Robert and he's probably not going to like it, but what else can I do? I tell myself not to take it personally if I don't hear back from him, setting myself up for a worst-case scenario but I have to wonder if our nights out meant more to me than they did to him. I suppose I'll find out. 

Hours pass. It's dark outside and the television has been running as background noise and it's starting to give me a headache. My phone has been silent the entire time and at this point I've pretty much accepted that Robert just doesn't want to talk to me ever again. I start to think about the meal I had with Brian last week- that was nice. Simple. Maybe tomorrow I could message him and-- 

There's a knock on my door. And then another. By the time I get to my feet and rush over it definitely sounds like someone is trying to break their way into my home so I yell "Alright!" before I swing open the door so I don't get a fist in my face. 

"You know I have a doorbe-- oh." 

Robert is standing on my doorstep with a bottle of Jack Daniel's in his hands like it's a peace offering, his eyebrows raised expectantly. 

"Did someone say drinks?" 

I don't know whether to laugh or cry, but for both our sakes I pick the first one. He grins as he steps inside but I can see the stiffness of his movements and I know it must have taken a lot of courage for him to come over. 

"Oh shit, is this Extreme Cross Stitching?" He asks, launching himself onto my couch and unscrewing the lid of the alcohol. "Fuckin' love this show." 

"Really?" I snort, amused. Robert once went on a drunken rant about how overrated Interstellar was for a good ten minutes before I sheepishly admitted I hadn't even seen it. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would pay any attention to the daytime trash I watch, but it just makes me love him even more. 

"Yeah, I watch it for the drama." He states into the neck of the bottle, "Karen's a bitch and I love her for it." Robert closes his eyes and drinks for a good few seconds before I finally intervene. 

"Woah, dude. Leave some for me." I perch next to him, not too close so he doesn't feel trapped. Robert passes me the bottle and grunts out an apology, smiling weakly. 

"Sorry, figured I'd need all the help I can get." 

God, he looks so nervous now. I want to praise him for trying but I know that'll just make me feel even more uncomfortable so I just smile back encouragingly. From this angle I can see a fading patch on Robert's neck that I recognise the shape of. I settle the knots in my stomach with a mouthful of alcohol. 

"Are you angry with me?" Robert asks out of the blue. 

"No." I pass him back the bottle. 

"Are you disappointed in me?" 

I chuckle. 

"A little." 

He smiles back but his gaze is in his lap. He looks so tired like this, as though all our nights out have finally hit him at once. 

"I shouldn't be here. There are going to be...consequences." That last phrase sounds far too formal coming from him and I realise that he's probably borrowing words from Joseph. 

"Is he going to try and hurt you?" 

Robert looks up at me, expression twisted with confusion. 

"I'm not worried for me, I'm worried for _you_. You..." His voice gets more quiet and he's wringing his hands as soon as the bottle is mine again. "You saw the photos. And I wish I could lie and say I don't want whatever the hell it is he'll have planned for me because of this. I just don't want you dragged into my mess. I never wanted that." 

Despite the alcohol my throat is dry and I just stare back at him blankly, waiting for him to continue. 

"I was in your position once, you know that?" He takes a swig of the Daniel's. "Just moved into town, met a chick at the bar and we hit it off. We didn't even fuck, I think we were both too fucking miserable for that. We started getting close, hanging out every night. Then I started getting weird messages from her husband." 

Realisation hits me. 

"Holy shit. Mary?" 

Robert nods and passes me the whiskey bottle that's already half empty. 

"It got to the point where I was getting multiple pictures from Joseph every day. He told me to stay away from her, that she was his property. I'm guessing that sounds kinda familiar to you now, huh?" 

"So what did you do?" 

"One day I got a message from him asking if I wanted to come to some shitty event being held at the church. I figured that at the very least I could go to explain myself. Tell him I didn't wanna fuck his wife, that I wanted nothing to do with his entire fucking family. So I went. He took me to his office." 

"And?" 

He says my name, as though chiding me for my naivety. 

"He fucked the shit out of me." 

I choke on alcohol, unable to stop myself for bursting into a fit of laughter. After everything that's happened it seems that's all there is left to do, and eventually he's chuckling too. 

"At least tell me it was good." I grin. 

"Do you think we would be in this situation if it wasn't?" 

There's a brief respite from all the gloom where both of us are just giggling helplessly, and for a moment it almost feels as though things are back to normal. Eventually he gestures for me to pass him the bottle and after drinking he continues. 

"Listen, this is exactly what Joseph does. He likes to conquer people. Why do you think he puts so much effort into keeping up that facade of perfection? His flawless appearance, the corny jokes and the friendly, relatable personality: it's all just so people will trust him. I bet he only became a minister so that people would listen to what he had to say. And when someone strays from the herd, disobeys him...that shit *really* gets his dick hard. Uh, physically and mentally." 

I make a face and he shrugs apologetically. 

"I know he's getting bored of me, he's already broken me. We weren't even hooking up that much any more until you came into town. I thought if you and I fucked on that first night then I could prove you were a pushover and Joseph wouldn't target you but uh..." 

**"What?" I snort, blushing a bit at the reminder of our initial meeting.**

****

****

"Well I _did_ wanna get laid, too. I mostly wanted to get laid. But you appreciate the sentiment, right?" 

I punch his arm, flustered but grinning. "You're an asshole." 

"Ow, hey, go easy on me. This isn't exactly a fun conversation." 

"Yeah, okay. Keep going." 

He puts down the Jack Daniel's and stares right at me, suddenly looking very serious. 

"Listen, Joseph is fucking quicksand. If you struggle you'll just get sucked deeper into his fucked up life. Do yourself a favour and do what he says: forget about me." 

God, this is heartbreaking. I want to cry. _Robert_ looks like he wants to cry and that's even worse. I realise that he hasn't been talking to me not because Joseph told him not to, but because he doesn't want me to get hurt. I shuffle a little closer to him. 

"Can I start forgetting about you tomorrow?" 

Robert smirks and puts an arm around me, pulling me onto his chest probably because unwelcome tears are starting to trail down my cheeks. 

"That sounds like a reasonable enough compromise." He mumbles, and I can hear the sound of his low, gravelly voice echo in his chest alongside the steady pulse of his heart. "Besides, I'm pretty sure this episode is the one where Angela and Karen finally duke it out. I heard Angela actually got an eye out but they had to cut it from the show because it was too graphic for TV." 

"Really?" I snicker. 

"Nah." 

\-- 

I wake up alone on my couch, and the usual post-drinking headache is overshadowed by how much my heart hurts. Robert must have left at some point in the night after I fell asleep in his arms and for a second I wonder if I'd dreamed the whole thing up. Then I see the empty bottle on the carpet and a smile to myself, deciding right then and there to never throw it away. There are no messages on my phone from Robert or Joseph, and the silence of the latter man is a little unnerving. I've learned by now not to spend all day waiting on that buzz of my phone, though, so I get up and hop in the shower. 

I try to keep myself busy. I go out, I visit Mat, I go to a game Craig's coaching for even though he doesn't really have time to chat with me. By the time I get home it's just starting to get dark and I order a pizza because I know that the rest of my night is probably going to suck. 

The first text comes in at 11pm and it seems Joseph isn't going to ease me in to his torture tonight. 

Robert is on his knees, looking up at the minister who is standing and holding the camera above him. You can see the tent in Joseph's slacks pretty prominently and his fingers are intertwined in the other man's dark hair, bringing him in closer. None of that matters to me, though, because I'm too taken aback by what Robert is wearing. He's almost nude but in white lingerie and I recognise the design immediately- it's the outfit Joseph made me pick back then. 

_You chose well, huh?_

The text pops up beneath the picture and then there's another shot. Robert is kissing at Joseph's erection now, a hand snaking up his thigh and I can see a few of the minister's fingers peeking into the frame where he's let go of the other's hair and is now unzipping his fly. The next photo takes a little while longer to appear but when I see it my heart leaps to my throat and- shamefully- my body starts to heat up. 

Robert is now kissing- or sucking- at the base of the other man's revealed cock, Joseph's length obscuring half is face. The hand is back in his hair again, guiding him or maybe keeping him in place and Robert's brow is furrowed with concentration. Another photo. Joseph's dick is glistening with saliva and Robert is teasing the head with his tongue. Joseph knows exactly what he's doing by snapping pictures at this angle because it means it's not too difficult to imagine that cock belonging to someone else. Maybe me. 

_Show me your dick._

My insides twist with anxiety when the message comes through. Is he trying to humiliate me? Entice me? I ignore him. 

_Show me your dick and I'll make it worth your while._

I suddenly remember what I was told last night. 'Joseph is fucking quicksand'. I had my doubts back then about how true that was and I still do, but I bet Robert was just as cynical once. Even then, I don't really care if he tries to make my life hell or something. I just don't want him to treat Robert worse in an attempt to coerce me. 

Unable to believe what I'm doing, I quickly snap a picture of my crotch even though I'm fully clothed. That will have to do, because it's as far as I can push myself right now. I send it off without even thinking, only hoping that Joseph can't see that I'm half-hard through my pants. His verdict arrives a few minutes later. 

_Good enough!_

Then there's another image, but I'm confused because it's just a shot of the wall and a bit of Robert's shoulder. Wait...no, that's not a photo. I press it with my thumb and it expands and starts to move. 

He's never sent me a video before and I realise for the first time how much I was missing without the audio to go with these images. The camera pans over to Robert's face and he's working the other man's cock feverishly, slurping and gasping in a manner that's more tantalising than I ever could have imagined. Joseph is controlling his rhythm with the hand in his hair, pushing him down when he wants more even though it makes Robert choke and grimace. After a moment he pulls the other man's head back, giving him a few moments respite to suck at his tip and there are tears streaking Robert's face from where he's been gagging. 

"Mmm, are you going to take my load on your face, pet?" Joseph purrs, taking his length into his hand and rubbing it over the other man's mouth. I hear the first few seconds of what sounds like a 'yeah' from Robert but then the video ends and I'm left stiff and aching. When I return to my texts there's a new one waiting for me. 

_If you'd actually shown me your cock I would have let you watch me cum._

I sit staring at my phone, trying to ignore my boner that's now desperate for attention. It's a while before I hear anything else from the minister, almost as though he's intentionally making me wait but eventually a new photo pops up. 

Robert is on the bed now, still in the expensive, lacy underwear and stockings that stand out against his skintone and hug his muscular body. He's sat on his knees, legs spread, but the side of his face is pressed into the sheets so that his ass is in the air. The lingerie doesn't do a very good job at concealing his cock and balls that are stretching the material, the outfit clearly not designed to be worn by a guy. His hands are bound behind his back with duct tape of all things, though I understand Joseph well enough by now to know that this is an intentional move and not improvisation. There's a stripe of cum on Robert's face, too, undoubtedly from the blowjob I just witnessed. When my mind automatically fills in the imagery I missed my whole body aches. On the nightstand I notice a flat little hand mirror and an empty baggie that's cloudy with powdery residue and I realise that Robert's probably high again, which explains why he looks so blissfully dazed right now. 

_We have fun, you and I. Sometimes I let you choose what flavour cookies I should bake, what colour shirt I should wear. It's a nice little game, isn't it?_

_Would you like to play it now?_

I swallow. My throat is like the desert. 

Whilst I decide what to say, or if I should say anything at all, I get another picture. This one is a close-up of Robert's ass and the back of his thighs. On his left there's a brown leather belt laid out all nicely against the sheets, and on his right a black paddle. Joseph doesn't have to say anything else for me to know what I'm being asked. 

I stare at my phone for a long while, hands trembling. I know that if I don't pick then Joseph will probably just find some third option that's worse than either of these two things but I have no idea what to do. Which one would cause Robert the least pain? Surely wood hurts more than leather, right? But a belt is so uncomfortably similar to a whip and it has a smaller surface area than the paddle. I bite down on my lip and force out my response. 

**belt**

_Hmm..._

>Is that a good response? I'm hanging on to Joseph's every word by now, desperate for more even though it'll only make it even harder not to jerk off. It feels like an eternity before I finally get a reply, but my body isn't disappointed. 

Robert's panties have been pulled up so that there is no longer anything obscuring the smooth surface of his ass. There are several long, red bruises on his cheeks and the back of his thighs and some of them are even bleeding where the friction of the leather has torn his skin. I wince but at the same time my balls throb longingly and I can't stop myself from palming at my cock through my pants a few times before I finally pull myself away. When Joseph sends another video I groan low in my throat before I even watch it, knowing what I'm about to see and not sure if I can withstand it. 

"M-more..." Is the first thing I hear when I play it, and it's Robert's voice. His hands flex and he gasps when Joseph smooths a hand over the top of the back of his thigh, dangerously close to one of the wounds. 

"Did our neighbor choose well?" Joseph asks and his mention of me makes me shudder. Robert knows I'm watching, that I'm even influencing his experience, and I can't help but wonder if he's thinking of me. The dark-haired man manages to grunt but that's it, and the minister huffs out a little laugh then walks the camera around the bed to face him. 

"Who do you belong to, Robert?" 

The other man hesitates, closing his eyes, but then there's a slap and the way Robert sobs and trembles he's probably been spanked again. 

" _Who do you belong to?_ " 

"Y..." 

Joseph sweeps a few strands of Robert's hair out of his face and he opens his dark, dilated eyes. 

"You." 

The clip ends. 

_No more until I see that cock!_

I gasp and groan at the same time- Joseph knows he's got me. I don't want it to stop now but at the same time if I do what he says I'm not going to be able to hold back any longer. I think about Robert bleeding on Joseph's bed and I reluctantly unzip my jeans, my cock springing free once I shift my hips and tug my boxers down a little. I'm shamefully hard, and I take my length in my hand as I try not to think about how long it's been since I've done something like this, let alone only half-willingly. Almost instantly after I send it off I get Joseph's reply. 

_Good boy. Now I can give you something to help with that problem of yours._

Is this Joseph trying to make me his new pet, just like Robert warned me? Right now I don't really care. My fingers tighten around my cock in anticipation of whatever I'm about to see, and _finally_ I'm rewarded with a new video. 

Joseph has started fingering Robert's ass, his fingers coated in lube to make the process of stretching the other man out a little easier on him. 

"Your friend is really enjoying our little show, Robert. Does it feel good?" 

The minister removes his fingers to squeeze the other man's balls, coaxing a moan out of him that's muffled into the mattress. 

"Awh, you've gone shy all of a sudden? That's so cute. Why don't you repeat what you just said, for the camera?" 

When Robert doesn't immediately obey the minister begins to press an un-lubed thumb into his entrance and he shudders out a gasp, followed by a tumble of words that don't make sense at first. 

"I-mmh...Joseph...I want...I need you to fuck me...I'll do ah- _anything_..." 

"Of course you will, honey." Joseph coos back, "Because you need me, like you need food and water. I bet you wouldn't know what to do with yourself without the promise of my cock in your ass." 

He presses his fingers back inside Robert like it's a reward, and as he fucks him from behind with his hand I start to stroke my own length. I close my eyes as the sound of sobs and whines fill my head with desire, unable to stop myself from pretending that Robert isn't right back on my couch with me. I try not to think about how all of this is happening just next door because the thought makes me ache with desire. Would I be able to hear them from here if I listened closely enough? When the sound suddenly cuts out I let out a cry myself but this one is mostly out of disappointment, not pleasure. I give my dick a little squeeze as I wait for something else- _anything else_ \- but when all I'm met with is silence I can't stop myself from being greedy. 

**hurry up!!**

I see that Joseph's typing just as I hit send and curse myself for being so impatient. I know I've played right into his hands but my thoughts are starting to become warped with desire and I don't much care. I open the next video. 

Robert is on his back now, probably just so I can see his flushed, needy expression. His mouth is wide open and he's looking right into the camera lens as Joseph settles between his legs and grabs his dick so he's ready to push inside Robert when he's ready. 

"Our neighbor wants to hear you moan, are you ready?" 

Robert simply closes his eyes and furrows his brow, bracing himself as Joseph pushes inside and splits him open. The sound he makes isn't so much a moan as it a scream, and suddenly he's arcing his spine and writhing around on the sheets as his cock twitches dangerously. I continue with my strokes as Joseph fucks him brutally, his gasps a lot more reserved but definitely building up as well. 

"Nngh, where do you want this hot load?" Joseph suddenly groans out. " Chest or ass?" I immediately stop the video and thumb out a single word because I know he's asking me, not Robert, and I don't want to miss my opportunity to decide. 

**chersst**

I send the text I clumsily constructed with one hand, hoping that Joseph can forgive the typo and carry out my desires. In the meantime I give my cock my full attention for once, wringing my hand a little roughly because Joseph has put me in the mood for masochism. I can't imagine how good Robert must be feeling right now as he's subject to every one of the minister's perverted whims whilst I'm here taking care of myself. Alone- why am I always fucking alone? I haven't gotten laid in _so long_ and now I definitely wish I hadn't said no to Robert that first night at the bar. I just want someone to treat me like Joseph's treating my friend right now. I want _Joseph_. 

The next video arrives and I open it as quickly as humanly possible, groaning as Robert appears in front of my eyes yet again. The two of them are panting and Joseph is even chuckling between his little gasps, eventually pulling out though- much to Robert's disappointment. 

"Sorry, sweetie." The minister sighs, tugging his dripping cock as the other man watches through half-open eyes. "Blame your friend for th--mmnh!" 

I watch as Joseph sprays cum across the other man's tanned chest and Robert and I somehow gasp in unison. I can see precum budding at the tip of the dark-haired man's cock even though it's barely been used and I work my way steadily closer to orgasm as I watch him beg the minister to touch him. As always, the footage cuts out way too soon. 

_I'll let him cum once you do._

It's hard to believe I was hesitant to send a picture of my dick to Joseph mere minutes ago because I start to record myself now without hesitation. I'm so close, pumping my fist furiously as I press my lips together so that he doesn't get to hear how desperate he's made me. I scroll up through all of the photos of Robert I have, even the ones I was sent prior to today and I can almost hear him begging my name as I finally splatter jizz into my palm. I'm caught off guard and cry out when I was trying so hard not to and it's a drawn out, wanton sound that I really don't want immortalised. I stop recording before the sound can fully pass my lips and I coax the last few shots of cum out of my cock as I finally ease myself into post-orgasmic bliss. Once I send off the video I can only hope that I get something back before regret sets in. 

The response comes back within minutes. Robert is sobbing because Joseph is teasing his cock and then clenching at his base whenever he seems moments away from climax. The result is that his cock is swollen and practically drenched in precum to the point where it almost looks painful. 

"Please...please..." He's begging over and over, too mindless to even notice that Joseph's filming again. 

"Remind me, who owns you?" Joseph asks simply, and I watch as he presses his thumb against the slit on the head of Robert's length. 

"You." Robert replies without hesitation. 

"Can you word your answer in the form of a complete sentence please, Mr. Small?" He's clearly just mocking the poor guy at this point but Robert's too delirious to tell. He takes a deep breath in attempt to cope with his torment before doing his best to sound coherent- if only for a moment. 

"J-Joseph...you....nngh, you own me." 

The minister loosens his grip just a little but it's enough to let the other man finally climax, though the thumb still partially covering hole means that the cum ends up spraying erratically all over Robert's face and chest. The last shot of the video is of him wheezing and whimpering into the mattress as Joseph gently toys with his over-sensitive member. 

I turn off my phone. I don't just lock it or put it on silent- I physically power it down and throw it across the room so it's no longer in arms reach. My lust has completely faded now and instead of feeling relieved or satisfied I just feel remorse. 

\-- 

It's been weeks since I let Joseph get the better of me and I haven't heard from him or Robert since. For the latter that's not surprising, he pretty much warned me that this would happen and I've been doing my best to respect his decision and leave him be. The silence of the minister, however, is a little more odd. The optimist in me wants to think that because I was so compliant that night he's lost interest in me and is now searching for a new victim but I can't help but think he's just trying to build up my anticipation. It's true that even now my heart jumps a little every time I get a text, expecting to see his name on my phone and be plunged back into the nightmare, but it's always just Hugo asking how I've been or Craig seeing if I can come to practice on Sunday. Eventually my nerves settle, I try to move on. Yet no matter how hard I try, I always find myself worrying about Robert, about whether or not he's okay. I never thought this would be the case but somehow I even miss the hangovers. 

I get a text when I'm in the coffee shop, and my guard is foolishly down before I see that it's from Joseph. 

_Hi neighbor! Fancy coming to a barbecue at my place this weekend?_

It's almost comedic how such an innocent message is sitting right underneath a frame of Robert minutes from orgasm. I've been strict enough with myself not to look at any of his old messages since the 'incident' but now I'm forced to as I word my reply. 

**Fuck you**

No, I can't say that. As much as I want to, I can't. I delete the swear and start again. 

**Sure, sounds fun! When is it?**

_Saturday, 2pm! Bring something tasty for me!_

I shift uncomfortably because there's no way that's just a poor choice of words. Joseph's texts are always deliberate, calculated. He wants me to know exactly what I'm signing up for if I turn up at his house this weekend. I think of Robert again. 

I'm so lonely. 

\-- 

At 2:05pm on Saturday afternoon I'm crossing Joseph's lawn with a covered plate of corn on the cob that are almost entirely black. As usual all the dads are here, even Craig who sometimes makes me wonder if he even has time in his schedule to breathe. They all greet me when they see me- all but Robert. He was chatting with Brian until he must have noticed me approaching, and now he's skulking on the porch with a beer in his hand as he purposefully avoids my gaze. I ignore him too, walking over to Joseph who's watching over his prized grill. 

"Uhm, hey Joseph." I try not to sound nervous but I definitely do. 

Oh!" The blond spins around, beaming from ear to ear. "You made it!" 

"Mmhm," I offer out my feeble contribution to the feast and he peers under foil that's there to hide my shame more than it is to keep in the food's heat. 

"Uh oh," He laughs, but takes it over to the table with the rest of the side dishes anyway. "Third time's the charm, right?" 

I force out a laugh. Joseph's much better at lying than me. My spine stiffens as he steps close to me- too close- and glances over my shoulder. I know he's looking at Robert. When he speaks next, his voice is low and sultry. 

"I hope you're better at sucking cock than you are at cooking." 

I do what I came here to do and I punch him square in the mouth. 

It's the last thing Joseph's expecting and the blow actually throws him off his feet and sends him tumbling to the ground. Craig is the nearest to me and the first to notice what's happened, so he grabs me from behind by my arms and pulls me away. It's almost like I'm in college again. 

"What the hell, bro?!" He cries, as Damien rushes over to see if the minister is okay. I watch as the blond smiles and tries to shrug it off but there's blood seeping into the gaps between his teeth and he's trembling from shock and adrenaline. As the rest of the dads realise what's just happened and begin to fret, I glance over to Robert. He's laughing harder than I've ever seen him laugh before. 

\-- 

That evening I'm nursing my bruised and bloody knuckles with a bag of peas and watching Home Unmakeover on the couch. Joseph didn't even humour the idea of calling the police or even blaming me after the attack- how could he? Joseph Christiansen- youth minister and beacon of the community- is a kind and forgiving man, after all. He wouldn't want to do anything but forgive his neighbor for getting a little too drunk before arriving at the barbecue. He wouldn't dare. 

In the end the rest of the dads seemed little more than confused by my uncharacteristic behavior, a few even insisting that I go to the hospital in case the cut on my knuckles needs stitches. I'd simply shaken my head and apologised profusely, insisting that it was probably best if I go home and sleep off the non-existent alcohol. I'd even helped Joseph to his feet as a sign of good faith, looking him in the eye the entire time. His expression was shaken and hard to read. It had taken every fiber of my being not to smile. 

A man on TV in a stiff-looking yellow suit is smashing chairs against a wall in the living room as a middle-aged couple look on, sobbing. I hiss as I lift up the frozen vegetables to check on my hand and one of the knuckles is split and swollen. I must have caught it on one of Joseph's teeth- maybe I should go to the hospital after all. As I weigh the pros and cons of spending Saturday night in ER, my phone buzzes. 

The name on the screen says 'Robert'. 

_hey thunderfists_

_im buying you a fucking drink_

_whiskey or wine?_

I jump to my feet so I can grab my jacket. 

The hospital can wait. 


	2. Hubris [BAD END]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joseph tries one last time to make the new neighbor his pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was commissioned by the lovely seasonoftheswitch to write an alternative 'bad end' to my original fic so here it is!! I hope you enjoy!

I'm not sure why I thought punching Joseph would change anything. Sure, it had felt good- like, _really good_ \- but that was about it. I'd tried to remind myself not to get my hopes up that he'd leave me and Robert alone but I just couldn't stop myself from fantasising about a life where everything was suddenly okay. Instead the texts had slowly returned; innocent at first and then gradually becoming more provocative when I didn't reply. Robert had stopped talking to me again because the punishment- or reward- for leaving me alone was presumably too significant to resist. It seemed that all I was left after hitting Joseph was a damaged hand. 

Standing in the shower, I flex my fingers. The skin has healed over now but there's still a long, pink streak where a wound once was and my joints remain a little stiff. I can afford to take my time this morning because, once again, I don't really have much going on. I should probably consider getting a hobby that doesn't involve obsessing over the behavior of my neighbors but it's difficult concentrating on anything else when I know what could be going on just next door.

After another five minutes I step out into my bathroom, drying off and slipping on something casual. My phone is sat by the sink, the screen all misted up from steam where the shower had been running so hot. I wipe it away with my thumb as I head to the living room and shudder out a sigh when it turns out I have another text from Joseph.

_I have a proposition for you!_

"Yeah, I bet you do." I murmur under my breath, shamelessly bitter. God, I wish I could punch him again.

I unlock my phone. Until now I've been doing a pretty good job at ignoring him, but it's starting to get difficult. Above the message he's sent me today I can see the bottom of a previous one tempting me in but I don't dare scroll up- that photo is already ingrained in my memory anyway.

Joseph hardly seemed to touch Robert anymore, at least not in the moments I'm shown, like he's too absorbed in taking photos for me to actually focus on the other man. His solution to this problem last time was just to use toys. I hadn't replied when he'd asked ' _Dildo or Vibe?_ ' and it seemed that he'd taken my silence to mean 'both'. The final photo he'd sent was of Robert on his knees, a bullet vibrator taped to the base of his stiff erection and a girthy, silicone shaft just barely visible between his legs. There was a pearly bead of white on the head of his dick because Joseph probably took this not even a second before he'd been brought to orgasm. Even though I'd only let myself look at the image once, I could vividly remember the look on his face. He seemed defeated, suffering in the best way possible. The thought of it now makes my stomach churn with envy just like it did back then.

 **?**

Is the only thing I type back, as though I'm trying to fool myself into thinking that if I don't use words then I'm not giving in. It's 10am on a Tuesday but Joseph replies straight away.

_Are you finally going to talk to me?_

**At this point, I'm just curious about what you could possibly say to win me over.**

I remember how once, not so long ago, I was worried about saying something to offend the minister. Now I hope that I do. 

_How about...I'll leave you alone forever?_

I actually laugh out loud at that one- does he really think I'm that naive? I refuse to believe that the spider that is Joseph would willingly give up his prey this easily. It's such an obvious trick that it's a little baffling.

**Do you think I'm an idiot?**

_Do you think you're that special?_

**What??**

_Look, you're a sweet guy but I'm not going to throw my life away for you. I don't know if you noticed, but there are plenty of other potential candidates in this town for me to pick from if you decide to be a prude forever._

I'm not sure why that message hurts so much when all I've ever wanted is for him to stop tormenting me.

**Fine, go try to ruin someone else's life.**

**I hope they do more than just punch you.**

_Well, I was thinking..._

Ah, here it is. The catch.

**?**

_If we carry on like this, it could be weeks, maybe months, before I completely give up on you. I mean, there might be something left for me to do to win you over, right? Who knows?_

**Nope.**

_Well regardless, I'm sure we'd both prefer to cut this off once and for all. Wouldn't you like that?_

**What do you want Joseph?**

_Friday night at 11pm. Come to my house and let me try one last time to persuade you. If you still don't want anything to do with me after that then you have my word that I'll leave you alone forever._

**Are you crazy? I've seen what you do to Robert when he comes to your house and I don't want any of it!**

_I swear I won't lay a hand on you._

**Are you sure?**

_Lying is a sin!_

**We both know you don't actually care about that.**

_Alright, well, you have the rest of the week to decide. If you can bring yourself to trust me then I'll see you on Friday!_

This was ridiculous. How could Joseph be asking me to trust him, after everything he'd done to me? As much as I'd want to be rid of him for good, I doubt the process would go as smoothly as he was making it sound. No, as painful as it was, I had to continue to just ignore him. Hopefully Joseph was being honest when he said he was getting bored of me. Ignoring a second pang of some unpleasant emotion I can't place, I put away my phone and get on with my day.

The rest of the week is unnervingly quiet. Joseph doesn't send so much as a word to me and whilst the silence is nice it's also incredibly empty. I hadn't realised up until now how much of my life had been consumed by him, even after I started to just ignore him. I found myself constantly checking to see if I had texts for him, my stomach sinking when the screen always came up empty. And even despite the lack of communication, all I could think about was what he might have been doing, or what Robert was doing. I hated myself for getting so caught up in it all, and that in turn had only made me more desperate to escape Joseph's clutch.

It's Friday morning now. The thought of the minister's offer is weighing heavily on my mind, as always. I know that if I don't turn up at his house tonight then he'll be back to harassing me with texts and photos by Saturday, and then who knows how long it'll be until he gives up? One night of Joseph's sick fantasies would definitely be preferable to the alternative, but I'm still not sure I trust him to keep his word about not touching me. Then I realise that with all my thinking and worrying I've forgotten about Robert's involvement in all this. Oh God, Robert. He had nothing but bad things to say about Joseph and yet it seemed he couldn't stay away. I think I'm finally starting to understand how he feels. 

I withdraw my phone.

**What about Robert?**

The reply is instant.

_Hm?_

**If I turn up tonight, will you leave Robert alone too?**

_Well...that wasn't part of the deal._

**Okay, bye then.**

Dejected, I almost make the decision to stay at home but then I get another text.

_But fine, I suppose I can afford that! I'm getting bored of him anyway._

I'm starting to feel like this is more of a bet than it is any kind of deal.

_Does this mean I'll be seeing you tonight after all?_

**Don't count on it.**

The truth is that now I'm more on the fence about this than ever before, because now this isn't just about me. I wonder if Robert would be thankful if I saved him from Joseph. I wonder if he would want me to save him at all. He always seems so happy when they're together- happier than I've felt in a long time. Maybe there's more to his enjoyment than just the drugs. Maybe I would find out tonight. 

\--

I scuff my feet against the stone of Joseph's doorstep, waiting for him to answer my knocking. I'm still not sure if all of this is a good idea, and it's definitely not too late to go home, but somehow I've convinced myself to trust Joseph after all. I realised earlier that through all the texting he's never once lied or broken a promise- he's delivered on every reward and every single punishment. Maybe he'll do the same tonight and leave me and Robert alone forever, but first I have to endure whatever it he has planned.

Eventually the door swings open and the minister is there, dressed extra-neatly in a lavender polo and dark brown slacks because apparently they're the only type of clothes he owns. He looks me over with the faintest of smirks and when he silently tips his head to invite me in I realise that this isn't the Joseph that holds neighborhood gatherings and goes to church. This is the Joseph that I saw moments before I punched him and the one that sends all the texts and he's a different creature entirely. I take a couple of tentative steps into the house.

"Thanks for dressing so nicely." He says, and his voice is low and sultry and yet somehow more genuine than the tone he puts on for everyone else. "I suppose this is a bit like a farewell party, isn't it?"

"Two people isn't much of a party." I grumble, and I hear a little laugh behind me as I wander further down the hallway. I don't really know where I'm going, but I know that I definitely don't want to be too close to the minister.

"You look tense, dear," Joseph coos, "Do you need a drink?"

"I don't think that would be a very good idea."

The other man says my name and I turn, ignoring the cold spark that shoots up my spine at the sound. 

"You make me sound like a monster." He continues, "Do you _really_ think I'm the kind of person that would -what -drug you?"

"You drug Robert."

" _Robert_ brings the narcotics himself. I can't stand the stuff personally but I'm not going to stop him from enjoying himself."

"You won't let him see me."

"Oh, well we've already spoken about this one. Robert allows me to make decisions on his behalf. I decided that you weren't good for him. That's all."

I grit my teeth and try to breathe out the sudden wave of rage I feel because I really don't want to start an argument.

"You're cheating on your wife."

Joseph thinks about that one for a while, then eventually shrugs, chuckling.

"Yeah, you got me there. No drink, then."

I decide not to mention the generous amount of alcohol I consumed to ease my anxiety before I got here and follow him through his house towards his bedroom. I'm one wrong word away from turning around and going home right now, but currently Joseph is doing a pretty good job at keeping me minimally comfortable. The door to his room is slightly ajar and he peeks his head in.

"Time for your surprise, Robbie."

I freeze in place. Oh God, no. Please. Maybe this is just a joke, or a trick. But now I think about it why _wouldn't_ Robert be here? I actually take a step back because I don't want him to be witness to whatever's going on tonight but then...I haven't met up with him in so long and I really, really miss him. Even if it's under unpleasant circumstances I want to at least see him before I go.

I approach the bedroom door and Joseph ushers me inside, his hand hovering just above my shoulder. Robert is sat on the bed that I recognise all too well from countless different photos, the back of his palm covering his nose as he watches me approach.

"Oh, shit!" He gasps, eyes wide and pupils huge. For a second I think he might be upset or angry, but then he starts laughing uncontrollably and leaps to his feet. Before I can react he's hugging me and even though the gesture is definitely fueled by cocaine somehow it's still comforting. Over his shoulder I see the remnants of the drugs on the bedside table and I cling to him a little tighter.

"My, my. What a touching reunion." Joseph drawls, and upon hearing the sound of his voice Robert lets go of me and presses himself flush against the blond's chest. Joseph takes the other man's face in his hand and then they're kissing, the sound of their lips smacking a contrast to the sound of Jimmy Buffett playing almost inaudibly in the background. I turn away and try to block it all out. 

"Alright," I hear Joseph say after a moment, so they must have stopped. "Let's not waste any more time."

The music is turned off and I spin back around. The minister is perched on the edge of the bed and Robert is standing nearby. They're both grinning at me and my blood runs cold.

"Take off your clothes."

I prickle at the blond's command, my mouth opening and closing like a fish without water. Could I be forgiven for thinking that things would proceed more gradually than this? Unsurprisingly, I'm not too keen about stripping in front these two. Joseph notices my hesitation and rolls his eyes. 

"What, did you think this was going to be easy? You've got to _earn_ your freedom, dear. So strip, otherwise there's the door."

"And make it sexy." Robert adds jokingly, rocking on his heels with his hands in his pockets.

I huff out a sigh and throw my jacket to the floor. Fuck, I'm actually doing it. I fumble with the buttons of my shirt; the first few are easy to undo but then it starts to get difficult as I reveal more of my skin to the two other men. When I slip the fabric off of my shoulders Robert and Joseph exchange a glance that I try not to think about the implications of too much. 

"Continue." The blond says in a sing-song tone, meanwhile ushering Robert to sit next to him with a single finger. As I fumble with my belt Joseph starts toying with the other's hair, murmuring something in his ear that has them both chuckling low in their throats. 

Taking respite as well as envy from their private little moment I kick off my shoes and socks and then peel off my pants so I'm standing in the bedroom in only my underwear. Neither of the others seem to notice though, Robert is littering light little kisses up the other man's neck that eventually draws a quiet, closed-mouth moan out of the minister and it's like they've completely forgotten I'm here.

"Shall I come back later or something?" I eventually grumble, my shame overtaken by bitterness. I didn't really come here to third-wheel these two, but it's not like I was expecting to have a good time tonight either way. Joseph leans away from his partner and looks me over, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh, you were finished?" Joseph clicks his tongue, disappointed. "Well, that'll do for now."

He's fishing through a drawer in the bedside table and then, as though he's performing some sort of twisted magic trick, he's gathering a long coil of rope into his hands. Robert snickers like he knows exactly where this is going and I think I do to.

"Y-you said you weren't going to touch me!" I protest, my hands concealing my chest because I feel so pitifully vulnerable right now.

"Oh, I'm not." He wordlessly hands the rope to Robert and my guts twist into a knot. My mind flashes with images of what's about to happen and my face flushes with heat because this suddenly a very different experience. "Come over here."

Wordlessly I move closer whilst Robert wraps the dark coils around his rough knuckles. I hope my breathing isn't too loud because it sounds deafening to me. 

"Get on your knees." Joseph tells me as he taps out another line of coke for Robert on the back of his hand. He catches me looking and scoffs. "I suppose you don't want any of this."

"No, I don't." I spit back, sliding onto the mattress as Robert snorts the white powder.

"F-fuck," He gasps afterwards, coming up behind me and grabbing me a little roughly by the arms. "Comfortable?"

I nod silently. 

"Good."

I expect him to go right for my wrists but instead he loops the rope over my chest and behind my back. After a second loop that sits just below my pecs he twists the rope into a coil, bringing it up between my nipples and behind my neck. As he ties some sort of knot at the center of my back I shudder out a breath, the feeling of the bindings digging into my skin as thrilling as it is frightening. 

"Robert is my little protégé," Joseph explains, stepping in front of me so he can inspect the ropes sectioning off my chest. I bow my head, too embarrassed to look at him. "He's quite talented, but a little slow, so I think I'm going to pour myself another drink in the meantime."

The blond actually leaves the room then and I feel far more at ease, as much as I can be in a situation like this, anyway. I look over my shoulder to Robert who seems hard at work, coiling the rope around my arms in a way that's gradually pulling them together behind my back.

"Robert..." I begin, my voice trembling a little. I don't know what I want to say but it doesn't matter anyway because now he's shushing me gently.

"It's okay, this is gonna be fucking amazing." He sounds breathless and exhilarated and I can feel his breath on my bare skin. "Fuck, you already look so beautiful."

The words coming out of his mouth aren't quite ones a sober Robert would use but they completely enrapture me anyway. I look away so he doesn't have to see me bite down on my lip, and I almost puncture my mouth out of shock when I feel him press a kiss between my shoulder blades. 

"H-holy shit!" I gasp, and he shushes me again.

"Just enjoy it."

My voice breaks as he places another deliberate, burning kiss at the top of my spine. Gradually he trails up to the back my neck and then behind my ear, until my chest is heaving from the effort it's taking to keep relatively quiet. When I feel the ropes coil around my wrists a few times he ties off one final knot and pauses for a moment.

"Let's take these off."

Robert's dipping his fingers under the waistband of my underwear and I make a sound to protest but that's about it. I don't really want to get naked because I'm admittedly a little aroused but the way the other man's treating me I can't do anything but obey him. With his help we manage to wriggle the fabric off of my legs and he tosses it away thoughtlessly. Then he presses up against me and holy shit I can feel his boner through his jeans, pressing into my back. Was that because of me? He spreads his hands over my stomach and peers down over my shoulder.

"S-stop looking at it." I grumble, my skin shuddering delightedly as his fingers encroach on dangerous territory.

"Mmm, I'm gonna drive you crazy."

I close my eyes and steel myself for whatever Robert's about to do but then I feel him lean back and silently begin to tie ropes around my ankles. It's hard not to feel disappointed, but when I look back to ask what happened I see Joseph leaning in the doorway with a filled cocktail glass in one hand.

"Goodness, I can't leave you two alone for even a few minutes, can I?" 

He saunters back over to us, sipping his drink and humming the song that was playing earlier as he judges Robert's handiwork. He starts to give the other man direction using terminology I don't understand- all I know is that my calves are being bound to my thighs and I can no longer move my ankles apart. Several minutes pass and the bite of the rope prevents my heart rate from settling, my body still as hot and sensitive as before. The ache of my constricted joints has become more of a burning pleasure than it is a pain, and every time I feel Robert's hand accidentally brush against my skin I have to squeeze my eyes shut for a second. After he's done connecting my wrists to my ankles with a short piece of rope I feel the weight on the mattress shift, and I hear the two of them kissing again. 

"You did wonderfully, pet." Joseph sighs, and then he's walking around to face me and inspect the ropes on my front. He blatantly eyes my half-erection and smirks, raising a couple of fingers to his mouth. "And it seems that our friend is _definitely_ enjoying himself."

He sets down his now-empty glass on the bedside table.

"Turn him around."

Suddenly my arms are being grabbed as Robert rotates me so I'm facing them. I swallow.

Joseph is climbing onto the other man's lap now, pushing him down into the bed as he begins to kiss his mouth. Robert grabs the minister's hips without hesitation, groaning when his lip is caught between the blond's teeth.

"I think it's time to start the show." Joseph whispers before they're locking tongues again, and all I can do is watch. Of course I could close my eyes, or turn my head away, and maybe I should be doing that, but lust has it's claws in me and now I don't even want to blink.

After a few moments they both begin to strip down, though it seems difficult for them to separate themselves for long without moving back in to kiss again. When they're both down to their underwear Joseph grabs at the other man's cock through his boxers and they grin.

"You might get off on tying people up, Rob, but I know what you _really_ want."

"And what's that?" Robert manages to counter.

Suddenly there's a hand in the older man's hair, pulling at his dark locks until Robert's head is forced back and he groans. 

"You want my cock, don't you Robert? No, you _need_ it." Joseph is squeezing the other's length near-viciously, ignoring the pleas and groans he's drawing out of his partner. "You might act all tough but we both know you were only born so you could be my sweet little fuck toy."

Even though Joseph's words aren't directed at me, my body is definitely reacting as though they had been. Heat is pooling between my legs and my mouth is agape as I quietly gasp for air. 

"Fucking destroy me." Robert groans, his back curved and trembling. "F-fuck, please..."

"Look at you, begging like a slut in front of your poor neighbor. What's he going to think now he knows how greedy you are for my cum?"

Seemingly Robert has nothing to say to that and the blond just scoffs, stripping off the rest of their clothes by himself. Robert looks like he's already close to orgasm, his length stiff and dripping by the time its revealed. The blond shifts up his partner's body until he's practically sitting on Robert's shoulders, and the older man immediately begins to worship Joseph's cock with his tongue. The way he licks and sucks the minister's length is so meticulous that it's almost unnatural, like he's been carefully trained to deliver Joseph as much pleasure as possible. It's absolutely _agonising_ for me to watch.

"F-fuck," I accidentally gasp, and Joseph's eyes flicker over to me. He chuckles but the sound is replaced by a groan as Robert flicks his tongue over the head of the younger man's cock, a single finger hanging from his open mouth.

"H-he's good, isn't he?" The minister gasps, "I bet you'd give _anything_ to be in my position right now."

I don't dare tell him how right he is.

"You've fantasised about that since the very beginning, haven't you? I bet the only thing that gets you off now is the thought of Robert's warm, wet mouth around your dick, mmh."

"Stop..." I groan, not because I'm offended but because my length is twitching hungrily and I know it's not going to get any attention any time soon. 

"Oh, you poor thing. How does it feel knowing I get to use this cum dumpster of a mouth whenever I like? It's not even special to me anymore."

Joseph moves back so he can grab Robert's jaw and his forcefulness causes the man to flinch. There's a string of precum on his chin that the blond forces into his mouth with his thumb, tugging violently at the corners of his mouth and thrusting the digit as far down his throat as it will go to make Robert choke. 

"There's a good boy." There's something frightening in the minister's eyes, as though seeing the other man struggling has gotten him more aroused than he has been all night. "Now turn over for me." 

When he finally pulls away Robert splutters out a moan but he doesn't hesitate about rolling onto his stomach. Joseph shakes his head with a little chuckle and guides him into turning 90 degrees so that he's on his hands and knees and facing _me_.

My breath audibly catches in my throat and my whole body aches longingly for even the slightest bit of attention to my cock. Robert can see me struggling and he tries to get closer but Joseph grabs him by the hair and stops him just short of being able to reach me.

"No, no sweetie. You can't do that, he doesn't want it."

"P-please, I do," I beg, my voice hoarse with want, and Joseph grins wickedly at me.

"It's okay, honey. You don't have to pretend. You asked me not to treat you like Robert, so I'm not going to."

I gasp bitterly because I had no idea one person could be such pure evil. I'm almost tempted to close my eyes purely out of spite but I don't have anywhere near that much self control. Instead I watch the minister take a bottle of lube from a drawer and spread the liquid liberally over his fingers. He then reaches between Robert's legs, and whilst I can't see exactly what he's doing from this angle I know he must be pressing inside the other man because suddenly Robert's brow is furrowing and his mouth is pressing into a single thin line. Suddenly he moans and I feel his breath on the head of my cock and then I'm moaning too, my hips stuttering from the pathetically minimal attention. Noticing this, and without a hand in his hair to stop him, Robert tries to press his lips to my length again but Joseph catches him before he can. 

"Our friend is making you misbehave, isn't he?" The blond scolds, and slaps the other man's ass with far more force than is necessary. "I said, _don't touch him_."

Joseph removes two sticky fingers just to shove them in deeper and Robert chokes out a swear, pressing his face into the mattress between my knees. He's being fucked brutally by the minister's fingers, I can tell that much, and soon his legs are trembling. The wet sound of Robert being violated is somehow deafening, and every thrust drives me more and more mad. I can't imaging how good the older man must be feeling. Joseph gives one deep, meaningful thrust with his hand and he must have hit Robert's prostate because suddenly the other man is leaning on his elbows again and tipping his head back, rocking his hips in a desperate but futile attempt to drive the fingers inside him even deeper. Joseph catches his cock, probably suspecting that his partner is moments from climax, and waits until he's calmed down a bit before removing his hand.

"Not yet, dear, not yet."

Joseph positions himself so that he can press his cock into Robert when his ready, smoothing a hand across the expanse of his back and giving him another spank for good measure. After sliding his length over the other man's ass for a moment he pushes inside, and they both groan in unison. The puff of air Robert expels hits my dick and it's almost too much to bear, but the sensation lasts for the briefest of moments and then I'm back to needing more. This is definitely torture.

The other two, on the other hand, are definitely enjoying themselves. Joseph has set a piston-like pace already, sweat starting to bead on his well-build chest. Robert is practically mute, yet he somehow finds the strength to gasp with every thrust which, in turn, gives me another split second of stimulation. Somehow it starts to build up and I start to feel my orgasm approaching. Sometimes Robert's whole body is pushed forward by the force of Joseph's hips and I feel his lips and tongue graze the head of my dick for not even a second and the sensation has pre dripping down to the base of my shaft. 

"Ah, you- nng- poor thing..." Joseph is looking at me now, his face twisted into a delighted grimace as pleasure courses through his body with every thrust. "About to cum just from Robert breathing on you. H- haah- how pathetic..."

He slows down because now he's grabbing something else, and when I see the rope in both his hands my eyes widen in terror. Robert doesn't even have a chance to react before the man above him is choking him with it, having slipped the rope around his neck. He pulls back and Robert starts to gasp, leaning back in an attempt to loosen the pressure on his windpipe but Joseph simply readjusts his grip. Then he's being fucked again and the blond is laughing between groans, face lit up in sadistic delight at the sound of the older man suffocating beneath him. 

"Cum for me, whore. I want to see you getting off on me strangling you. Come on."

Joseph slams into him and when Robert's entire body starts to shudder I realise he's finally reached his orgasm, probably cumming all over the sheets beneath him. 

"Again." Joseph demands simply, readjusting his grip on the rope so the other man has a second to breathe before he's being suffocated again. The resulting breath on my cock is almost enough to have me cumming as well. " _Again_."

Joseph pulls the rope so hard his knuckles whiten and then he hits climax himself, purring as he presumably shoots his seed deep inside his partner's ass. The shock of pleasure is enough to have him loosen the grip around the older man's throat and Robert practically collapses onto his side, coughing and spluttering as he releases another load. There's practically a pool of cum beside him so this is easily his third orgasm, and in such a small amount of time too. I watch as they take a moment to recover and then Joseph glances up at me, face flush and satisfied.

"Oh dear, now what are we going to do with you?"

Joseph manages to stand up and he picks up Robert's jacket, taking one of his knives and bringing it closer to me. I'm far too aroused to be scared at this point but I still steel myself, expecting a sudden burst of pain to be the thing that finally pushes me over the edge, but instead there's a snap and my wrists are no longer connected to my ankles. The blond quickly cuts away the rest of the ropes and afterwards I almost fall forward onto Robert but Joseph manages to catch me and sits down by my side.

"Would you like us to help you?" He whispers, and his tone is so warm and loving and I'm just so relieved that tears start to streak down my cheeks.

"J-Joseph," I choke, "Please," 

He's stroking my hair and then suddenly there's a warmth around my cock. My resulting sob is broken and drowned in desire, and I only just manage to catch sight of Robert licking a stripe up my shaft before I'm squeezing my eyes shut.

"I'm gonna...nngh..."

"Sshh, not yet," Joseph insists, kissing my wet cheek. "Just look at him."

I do as I'm told and open my eyes again, though just barely, watching Robert work on my erection. He's exhausted and lethargic so the motions of his lips and tongue are sloppy at best but they're more than enough for my tormented cock. It takes every bit of willpower I have not to cum in his mouth but somehow I manage to hold on.

"It'll be over soon," The minister coos into my ear, "And then you'll never see me again. Is that what you want?"

"I- ggh- I don't..." I'm far too mindless to think about something like that right now, but Joseph seems intent on discussing it.

"You'll be free. Alone. I wonder if Robert will still want to talk to you after knowing that you're the reason I won't fuck him anymore?"

Joseph must have wordlessly signaled the older man to stop, because I'm left mere seconds from orgasm. I've leaked so much pre at this point it's almost ridiculous- Robert's mouth is wet with it, even. All I can do is whimper and look up at the man who's holding me in his arms.

"Is that what you want?" Joseph continues, "To be alone? Because you don't have to be. We're both right here. We just want to make you happy. _I_ want to make you happy."

I feel his hand sliding down to my oversensitive member, and he takes it lightly in his hand.

"I have one last choice for you, darling." The blond is almost inaudible now. "This," He pushes his thumb up against the head of my cock and a bud of white starts to develop at the very tip. Then he gently turns my head towards the empty doorway. "Or that?"

"I want you." I reply effortlessly, tears still rolling down my face. Joseph kisses me and squeezes his fist simultaneously and I'm cumming more violently than I ever thought was possible. My whole body tenses and convulses as I shoot stripe after stripe of hot white cum over Robert's face. By the time I'm done my entire lower body is numb, and I lie limply in his arms as he continues to kiss at my mouth. Despite everything I feel more loved now than I have done in a long, long time and soon I'm kissing him back. 

"You're mine now." Joseph breathes, and he presses his lips against my tears one last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to seasonoftheswitch for commissioning me to write this!! And thank you to all the people that liked the original fic u v u <3 
> 
> the title of this chapter is taken from this lovely song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYXZoxltYuU 
> 
> and as always please feel free to offer me ideas or prompts for ddadds fics q v q im always thirsty to write more aaaaa

**Author's Note:**

> the opinions voiced in this work are not representative of the author's opinions which basically means that i loved interstellar and it made me cry
> 
> thank you to my friend tri for inspiring me with their lovely fics, qvarries for uploading my writing onto their account whilst i waited for my invitation and the exposeph chat in general for supporting me and putting up with me constantly complaining about how long this fic was getting lOL <3


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